Livestock: Expensive?

Sir Alex

Sir Alex

Dragon the eel (below)
This is turning out a lot more expensive than I expected...

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Does anyone know how I can cut down the price without buying stuff from petco?
 
Well you cant really look at it as a whole in this way. You have to buy things one at a time then the costs hardly seem like as much as they are.

You cant buy every fish at the same time anyway and in the time that each fish adjusts over several weeks you save up for the next one.

You will catch deals or your LFS might have a monthly news letter to give you discounts and things like that.
 
+1 Amber, if you bought all your fish and put them in your system at the same time your tank would crash.
Remember you will be adding CUC, then waiting a week or two, then your first fishies 3 maybe, then waiting another 2 or 3 weeks then adding some more fish. But frags you can just add all at once.
 
I formatted it so if there's a space between the lines, they're being bought at a different time.

I was just calculating the total. Regardless of how long I wait between each fish, it's still going to cost the same. But I see what you mean...
 
Seriously, i think you need to relax a bit about this stuff.

But keep your eye out for deals, get to know the staff, shop around. Call places and see what they have for how much. Or learn to like cheaper fish like chromis.

You arent going to buy all of this at once, which helps, the cost will be spaced out.
 
I set myself a budget of 100 every 2 weeks and I stick to it. It sometimes takes me a month to save up to get what I want and I know I have spent a couple thousand all together on my tank but its always been a 100 here and a 100 there.

I got most of my coral frags from other reefers on craigslist and everyone was always so generous and friendly, its the kind of hobby that brings people together and you want to help each other out!

Just set yourself a budget and try to take it slow.
 
+1 Amber
Setting a budget is huge! Other wise i would be spending hundreds every couple weeks. This hobby is expensive if you haven't figured that out yet. I say just get used to it.

I personally have never looked into what i have into my tank. I have all the bills in a file but i am to scared to go and add them up! Lol
 
You know how i deal with it? I dont keep track of my spending and just buy what I want :D but just dont go to the LFS so much :D

Seriously though, dont add 3 fish at once like what got suggested, one fish at a time.
 
This isnt a cheap hobby..... like others said set a budget and stick with it. Its not like you're going to go out and buy everything at once.

Look on craigslist for people taking tanks down, you can score great deals on fish and corals that way.

The other thing to think about is that you wont add all 40 frags at once. Get the first few ones, and as they grow out, post on local forums and see if someome is willing to swap frags, that way all you're not really 'paying' for the frag
 
Northstar24 said:
TLook on craigslist for people taking tanks down, you can score great deals on fish and corals that way.
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I don't really want to buy any fish off of craigslist, but maybe corals...

Northstar24 said:
Get the first few ones, and as they grow out, post on local forums and see if someome is willing to swap frags, that way all you're not really 'paying' for the frag
Click to expand...

Yah, that should help some. I also plan on joining the local reef club, so I should be able to get some real cheap frags! :D
 
OMG Sir Alex. We must be related. I totally get your line of thinking. I've kept a spreadsheet much like the one you posted but I kept track of everything (tank, sand, rock, equipment, livestock). Basically, everything except food. Crap, when you total that column, it's a bit of a shock!!! :shock: Once I got past the amount that I had spent, I thought about how much I love the hobby and the enjoyment/amazement that comes from sitting in front of my tank. Still....every so often I do think about the $$$. Can't help it....bean counter by trade.
 
chiqui bb said:
OMG Sir Alex. We must be related. I totally get your line of thinking. I've kept a spreadsheet much like the one you posted but I kept track of everything (tank, sand, rock, equipment, livestock). Basically, everything except food. Crap, when you total that column, it's a bit of a shock!!! :shock: Once I got past the amount that I had spent, I thought about how much I love the hobby and the enjoyment/amazement that comes from sitting in front of my tank. Still....every so often I do think about the $$$. Can't help it....bean counter by trade.
Click to expand...

YAY, I'm not alone!!! :mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen:

Actually I had a spreadsheet with everything on it from livetsock to salt and test kits, but I decided to remove the little things...
 
Sir Alex said:
Who knows what they might have been exposed to? It could have some awful disease which would ruin my tank. It doesn't pay getting fish from some random person just to save a few bucks.
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um if this is your reason than i hope to God you have a quarantine tank for ALL your fish from LFS or CL
 
If you keep track of everything you spend in this hobby it will drive you insane...I really don't recommend it.
 
+1 Ryan


its a hobby its meant for fun to throw money at it when you have some left over after everything is payed

FUN is the key word followed by pride lol cause c'mon were all proud of our tanks no matter how small or big they are

i wuvs m'little nanner (nano)
 
jcegt87 said:
um if this is your reason than i hope to God you have a quarantine tank for ALL your fish from LFS or CL
Click to expand...

Your saying I should quarantine fish from the LFS? Even if wontonflip him/her:confused:self said that the place has super healthy fish?
 

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